Our 2019 cheese Advent calendar was a hit, so we thought we’d start a yearly tradition. The nominations for 2020 were provided by fans of the 2019 calendar, Progressive Dairy staff and bloggers, and some of our social media followers.

Here’s a list of our top 25 most popular articles, according to pageview metrics from Google Analytics, published between Oct. 1, 2019 and Oct. 1, 2020.

It’s an overused word, but “volatility” certainly reflects the past year when it comes to dairy numbers. However, an even more dominant phrase – likely unheard by most people before 2020 began – came to not only influence but also represent the year: “Out of an abundance of caution.”

The Progressive Dairy podcast launched Oct. 1, 2019. Since then, the team has recorded 30 episodes (and counting), with more than 25,000 downloads to date.

Progressive Dairy provides updates on dairy-related organizations and companies, compiled from staff news sources and industry press releases. Email industry and organization news to Progressive Dairy Editor Jenna Hurty.

Digest Highlights

• Thanksgiving meal cost down but so is farmer share
• New undesirable genetic factor identified in Jersey breed
• U.S. ag export outlook improves while dairy projections hold steady
• Retail dairy sales settle in
• California FMMO butterfat test varies due to geography, climate
• NCIMS plant-ownership issue resolved to NMPF satisfaction
• Progressive Dairy COVID-19 resources

Update Highlights

• DMC enrollment entering last two weeks
• December 2020 Class I base: $19.87 per cwt
• Dairy cow slaughter pace up a bit in October
• CFAP payment update

The USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) has approved a change in quarterly Dairy Revenue Protection (Dairy-RP) estimated milk yield per cow calculations for California, Texas and Illinois. Effective immediately, the change may make the federally subsidized milk revenue insurance program more financially attractive to dairy producers in those states seeking risk management protection.

The dairy industry’s path toward achieving sustainability goals has and will continue to pass through challenging terrain, but there are opportunities for those who successfully make the journey.

Two critical risk management deadlines are approaching in December. The deadline to sign up for the 2021 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program is Dec. 11. The deadline to purchase first-quarter 2021 coverage under the Dairy Revenue Protection (Dairy-RP) program is Dec. 15.